Function not returning expected value

Good morning,

My portfolio is finished, however for the last 3 days I have been struggling with this one last problem. Even 2 x php help phorums could not assist.

Can anyone tell me why this function is returning the user_id instead of first_name and last_name? Query does not fail.

Language: PHP
function getFriendsById($friends) {
	$sql="select first_name, last_name from users where user_id =".$friends;
	$results = mysql_query($sql)or die("Selection Query Failed !!!<br/>".mysql_error());
	$friendsNames = array();
	while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($results)){
	$friendsNames[] = $row[';first_name';].';, ';.$row[';last_name';];
	}		return $friendsNames;	
 
	}

Map the value to their keys by using mysql_fetch_assoc

Language: PHP
$friendsNames = array();
while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
{
  $friendsNames [] = $row;
}

Done as you said.

Same result.

Language: PHP
function getFriendsById($friends) {
	$sql="select first_name, last_name from users where user_id =".$friends;
	$results = mysql_query($sql)or die("Selection Query Failed !!!<br/>".mysql_error());
	$friendsNames = array();
	while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($results)){
 
	}		return $friendsNames [] = $row;	
 
	}

I have no idea what you are trying to achieve. It appears as if you are trying to find the friends of a user, but the user table does not have that information?
As the code stands, you are calling one record/row (as specified by the WHERE clause), so you do not need an array?
I suggest you write the query outside a function at first, and only put it in a function once you will re-use it.

I am sending the friends_id's to the getFriendsById function with the $friends variable.
Then I am requesting for the friends first and last names from the user table using the friends_id's.

This all happenes. The variable does indeed key the function with the correct friends_id's, and the query does not fail.

However instead of returning the friends first and last names, the function simply returns the friends_id's again.

Mmm. I do not know what you are doing before employing this function.

You get all the friends ID's from user_friends table. That should go into an array, and while looping through this array you use a query to extract the first and last name. It seems to me you are doing it the other way round.....

Yes, I obtain the friends id's, using the function you provided in tut 102 and store those values in the $friends array. (lets say id's are 2 and 5.)

( Start of code snippet above) I then use the $friends array to key the getFriendsById function.(With value 2 and 5) --> successful.

Now I attampt to extract the friends first and last names using the friends id's (2 , 5) --> successful, query does not fail.

Then I place the values into the friendsNames array.

Then the function returns 2 and 5, instead of Elvis Presley, Lucas Radebe)

I'm completely snookered. The last 3 day I've spent on php help phorems and was assisted by "expert php masters", but no one can see or find a problem.
I even thought the problem might be my localhost, but I uploaded all to web server and outcome is the same.

I'm stumped as well.

Just try the following as a test to see if the names are printed, else look at your db.

Language: PHP
function getFriendsById($friends) {
	$sql="select first_name, last_name from users where user_id =".$friends;
	$results = mysql_query($sql)or die("Selection Query Failed !!!<br/>".mysql_error());
	//$friendsNames = array();
	while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($results)){
	echo "<br>Friends with ". $row[';first_name';]. " ".$row[';last_name';]. "<br>";
	}		
//return $friendsNames;	 
	}

mac,

You are going to swear at me. I never called the getFriendsById function. I recalled the getFriends function, and that is why it kept on returning the friends id's.

Unfortunately I only found the mistake now and all ready had to submit. Hope you will still pass me.

My apologies for waisting your time.

Ha, ... it usually is an error elsewhere, but difficult to pinpoint it because there are so many places where it can happen. I think you have learned a valuable lesson though...

Believe me, a lesson I will not easily forget.

Again, thanx for all your assistance and advice.